Rivals and Allies: A Study in Q-methodology of Perspectives on Coopetition by Non-profit Sector Managers Working in Special Education Needs and Disability Services

Abstract

This thesis investigates how managers in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) non-profit sector, perceive and prioritise coopetition, the simultaneous pursuit of cooperation and competition. While the non-profit sector is often characterised as collaborative, the research shows tensions between collaboration and organisational survival are prevalent and under-examined.

The research adopts a mixed method, Q methodology design. Managers in SEND charities were invited to sort and rank a set of carefully developed statements about coopetition, capturing both shared and divergent viewpoints. This was complemented by semi-structured interviews exploring the reasoning behind participants’ choices and providing contextual insight. Factor analysis was used to identify distinct perspectives, which were then interpreted through analytical frameworks of trust, power, competition, governance and paradox theory. Particular attention was paid to the role of managerial capability and the influence of values, emotional ambivalence, and cultural perceptions in shaping decision-making.

The findings reveal six interconnected themes. Managers emphasised trust as the basis of collaboration, yet simultaneously guarded resources in ways that constrained deeper partnerships. Power dynamics and governance structures both enabled and inhibited joint working. Competition was rarely treated as a deliberate strategy but was nonetheless an unavoidable reality, often framed as an inconvenience. Managers’ strong personal and emotional ties to the families being served by their respective organisations heightened the ambivalence of coopetition, producing both commitment to collaboration and anxiety about vulnerability. Short-term funding cycles reinforced transactional behaviours, limiting opportunities for innovation and long-term strategy.

This thesis and its findings contribute in terms of theory by extending our understanding of coopetition as an emotionally charged paradox which operates differently in the non-profit sector compared with private firms. It highlights the significance of managerial capability, emotional ambivalence, and governance design in shaping coopetition outcomes.

In terms of practice, the research offers guidance for non-profit leaders and policymakers, emphasising the need for training, strategic frameworks, and supportive commissioning policies that enable intentional and sustainable coopetition.

Overall, this work positions coopetition not as a threat but as a resource which, if better understood and managed, can enhance resilience and deliver greater social impact.

Date of Award	9 Apr 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Denise Hewlett (Supervisor), Malgorzata Radomska (Supervisor) & Manuela Pilato (Supervisor)